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SAFE
Aging Newsletter |
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Volume 3, Issue 5 |
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Nutrition
& Health |
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October
2006 |
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In This Issue:
- What are Dietary
Supplements?
- The Skinny About
Dietary Supplements
- Supplements for Seniors
- Dietary Supplements
and Chronic Health Conditions
- The Bee's of Dietary Supplements
- The Trials of Grocery
Shopping
- Internet Resources
Nutrition
affects how we live, love, work and play. We are fueled by the
foods we eat. The SAFE Aging October newsletter theme is
Nutrition and Health. We offer it as "food for thought" before
the coming major holidays. Our focus this month is on food
supplements for seniors. We include background information about
dietary supplements, benefits, warnings, suggestions and
resources. Don't forget to read "The Trials of Grocery
Shopping" and "Ideas to Make Super Market Shopping Easier
for the Physically Challenged" by occupational therapist,
Dr. Vanessa M. Dazio.
1. What are Dietary Supplements?
Dietary supplements are missing nutrients
that are added to the diet. Supplements include herbal remedies,
vitamins, minerals, other botanical products, fibers, amino
acids, proteins, organ tissues, and metabolites for digestion. A
few examples of dietary supplements are alfalfa, Coenzyme Q10,
gingko biloba, omega 3-fatty acids, St John's Wort, ginseng,
Vitamins B6, B12, D, E, etc.
Supplements are especially useful when the
diet can't provide the body with all the nutrients it needs to
be healthy. This can happen for many reasons, such as normal
aging, disease, or ill health.
For a complete list of dietary supplements,
background information, detailed descriptions, potential
benefits, risks, scientific evidence, dosing, safety,
interactions, and other references, take a look at
this fabulous resource.
Did you know about 52%
of Americans report using dietary supplements?
(National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, 2005)
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2. The Skinny About Dietary
Supplements
 There
is a tremendous amount of research happening every day to study
the effects of dietary supplements. Dietary supplements can be
really, really good for health. In fact, the right dietary
supplements will work wonders!
Some supplements have no scientific basis
for claims made such as "prolonging life" or "preventing
cancer". Other supplements can be harmful, especially when
combined with certain medications or with certain chronic health
conditions.
To avoid wasting money on supplements that
have no nutritional value, or taking supplements that could be
harmful, talk to your doctor or dietician before making any
purchases.
For more information about supplements,
check out this
National Institute of Aging resource.
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3. Supplements for Seniors
Normal aging brings metabolic changes. It’s
a fact. How the changes affect each person individually is
another story. Because there is no single food that supplies all
the nutrients we need for health, it is very important to eat a
well balanced food plan. However, anyone (generally) over the
age of 50, may still need certain supplements, even if eating
habits are good!
Talk to
your doctor or a registered dietitian about the most beneficial
supplements for you. Depending on your personal health needs,
your doctor might suggest some or all of the following
supplements.
Here is some information about important
supplements useful for people 50 years or older.
Vitamin B6: Vitamin B6 is needed for protein metabolism. It
is also essential for red blood cell metabolism. The nervous and
immune systems need vitamin B6 to function efficiently. We use
Vitamin B6 to make hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to tissues.
Vitamin B6 helps to maintain blood glucose (sugar) levels within
a normal range.
Vitamin B6 is found in a wide variety of
foods including fortified cereals, beans, meat, poultry, fish,
and some fruits and vegetables Too much vitamin B6 can result in
nerve damage to the arms and legs.
Vitamin B12: Up to one-third of
older people can no longer absorb natural vitamin B12 from food!
This vitamin is needed to keep blood and nerves healthy. It is
also needed to help make DNA, the genetic material in all cells.
Vitamin B12 is naturally found in foods
that come from animals, including fish, clams, meat, poultry,
eggs, milk, and milk products. Fortified breakfast cereals are a
particularly valuable source of vitamin B12 for vegetarians.
Calcium: It is a fact that calcium absorption declines with
age. As calcium levels change, the strength of bone also
weakens, which can lead to osteoporosis. Weak bones can lead to
fractures, mainly of the hip, spine, or wrist, in both older
women and men.
Calcium supplements do help to provide an
essential bone nutrient and are recommended in higher amounts
for people over 50. To reduce the risk of serious fall related
injuries, talk to your doctor about calcium supplements.
Calcium
can be naturally found in milk, yogurt and cheese. Other foods
do have calcium (such as Chinese cabbage, kale and broccoli),
but have to be eaten in larger amounts compared to the
consumption of dairy products.
Did you know, each year, Americans suffer from 1.5 million
fractures because of osteoporosis?
(Riggs, Melton, 1995)
Vitamin D: Vitamin D helps improve
calcium absorption. Without vitamin D, bones can become thin,
brittle, or misshapen. The body obtains vitamin D from food and
from sunshine! As people age, skin does not absorb Vitamin D
from sunshine as well as it did in youth. As a result, it is
believed Americans age 50 and older are at increased risk of
developing vitamin D deficiency.
Cod liver oil, salmon, mackerel, tuna fish
are good natural foods with Vitamin D. Other sources are milk
fortified with Vitamin D.
Vitamin E: Vitamin E has been shown to play a role in immune
function, in DNA repair, and other metabolic processes.
Vegetable oils, nuts, green leafy vegetables, and fortified
cereals are common food sources of vitamin E in the United
States. Wheat germ oil, dry roasted almonds, sunflower seed
kernels are another source of Vitamin E.
For more
detailed information, refer to the resources for this article:
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4. Dietary Supplements and
Chronic Health Conditions
Do you take dietary supplements and have
diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol or are
overweight? Do you have more than one of these conditions? If
you answered yes and have not discussed the supplements you
actually consume, with your doctor, you may be at risk.
Did you know some supplements such as
Vitamin K can affect blood clotting? Anyone who takes medication
to reduce blood clotting should be concerned about eating foods
rich in Vitamin K such as kale, spinach, collard greens, Swiss
chard, mustard greens.
Some supplements have the opposite effect
and increase the thinning of the blood such as Vitamin E. Some
can actually change how other drugs are used or metabolized in
the body. Depending on the health condition, these interactions
can be hazardous to health.
Supplements that prevent exaggerate or
render useless the intended benefit of prescribed drugs, can
literally cause life threatening results.
For safe aging, before using any dietary
supplements, discuss the use or intended use with each treating
physician and/or specialist. Remember, as circumstances change,
it is important to keep all doctors informed of supplemental
use. Any new prescribed medications, should be considered in
combination with supplemental use.
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5. The
Bee's of Dietary Supplements
Dietary supplements can be really good when
the diet can't provide all nutrients needed for health and well
being. However, too much of a good thing can be hazardous to
health.
Before you use dietary supplements,
Be Educated
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Pay attention to your nutritional habits.
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Know everything there is to know about
your dietary supplement. For instance:
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Background information
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Scientific evidence
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Proper dosage
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Safety including potential side effects
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Health benefits and risks
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Potential symptoms
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Expiration dates on dietary supplements
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Read the labels
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Look for the mandatory words "dietary
supplement" on the label
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Read about all ingredients
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Directly contact the brand manufacturer
to determine safety information
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Speak with a qualified health care
professional before using dietary supplements
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For information, refer to reputable
resources such as
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Know your personal risks due to
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Chronic medical conditions especially
hypertension, diabetes, heart disease
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Pregnancy or nursing a baby
Beware
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Beware of warnings
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Beware of potential side effects with
prescription and over the counter medications
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Beware of potential interactions with
other herbs, supplements, and foods
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Beware that too much of some nutrients
can cause problems
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Beware of dietary supplements the promote
itself as a prevention, treatment or cure for a specific
disease or health condition
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Beware of risks that could affect surgery
outcomes such as
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Changes in heart rate
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Blood pressure
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Increased bleeding
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Beware of gimmicks and quackery
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Beware of unproven advertisement claims
Be Sure
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To consult with a reputable health care
professional
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To make informed decisions when choosing
the best dietary supplements for you
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To use dietary supplements wisely
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To avoid "megadoses" supplements
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To keep supplements in a cool, dry and
secure location, out of the reach and sight of children
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6. The Trials of Grocery
Shopping by Vanessa M. Dazio,
OTD
 Grocery
shopping is such a vital daily life activity. It is how the
majority of people in the United States buy food and supplies.
Yet, grocery shopping in "supermarkets" can be quite a problem
for people with physical challenges. People who have pain,
mobility impairments, are short in stature, have limited muscle
strength, energy or joint movement can find shopping an
exhausting ordeal. When shopping is exhausting, good eating
habits and healthy nutrition can decline.
Last week, in less than one hour in the
supermarket, I saw 5 different people struggling to complete
their shopping. Two shorter women could not reach the upper
shelves to get canned goods. One man complained of painful
shoulder arthritis that made reaching above his shoulder
difficult. Another lady was confined to a scooter, due to a
painful broken leg. One man was unable to read an ingredient
label that had little visual contrast.
I asked each if they wanted some help, and
all were deeply appreciative of getting it. It also made me feel
good! But, as an occupational therapist, I know there are some
things that can be done to make shopping easier for people with
physical challenges. Here are some ideas:
►
Ideas to Make Supermarket Shopping Easier ◄
Limited Energy or Muscle Strength
Order Groceries: If available and
desirable, look into home delivery services for groceries, and
avoid grocery shopping altogether. Save precious energy to do
more valued activities.
Shop When Strongest: Choose the best
personal times to shop. Avoid doing energy sapping activities
before and after grocery shopping.
Plan Ahead: Plan meals ahead, and
create a shopping list: If you can, write the grocery list based
on the store design. List all the foods needed from each section
of the grocery store such as dairy, meat, produce, canned goods,
paper, cleaning supplies sections, etc . This reduces the need
to unnecessarily walk around aisles and saves precious energy to
get the job done.
Locate Rest Areas: Before shopping
begins, look for the location of benches or chairs in the store.
If there aren't any, talk to the manager and ask for some to be
placed in logical areas. Be an advocate for others!
Rest While Shopping: Take a few rest
breaks during shopping whether it feels needed or not.
Create a Route: Before shopping,
plan a route around the store. Avoid walking in unnecessary
aisles.
Ask for Help: Don't be afraid to ask
for help when shopping. Ask the store manager for an assistant,
or ask other shoppers. Most will be very happy to help.
Carefully Choose Containers: Choose
lightweight rather than glass containers.
Assistive Devices: Assistive devices
make it possible to do a task, or make life easier. Why not use
them? Examples of assistive devices include:
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Shopping Cart: Always use a store
provided shopping cart. Let the cart hold groceries, even if
the plan is to buy only a few. Carts provide terrific support
when walking, and can be used as support if an emergency rest
is needed. Carrying supplies can waste valuable energy.
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Specialized Walkers or "Rollators": There are many
different walkers that enable the user to sit and rest when
needed. Here are a few examples (click on the image for more
information):
For more
examples, here is a link with a wide variety of "rollators":
http://www.sammonspreston.com/Supply/product-list.asp?subsection=1567
Limited Joint Motion or Short Stature
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Reachers: If an extended reach is
a problem, consider using a reacher. Reachers come in a wide
variety of sizes and shapes, depending on the purpose and
functional needs of the user. Here are a few examples
(click
on the image for more information):
For more
examples, here is a link with a wide variety of reachers:
http://www.sammonspreston.com/Supply/product-list.asp?subsection=1658
Limited Vision
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Magnifiers: There are many available products for the
grocery shopper with visual loss. Magnifiers of all sizes and
shapes can be found in dollar stores, local discount stores,
flea markets, supermarkets, drug stores, etc. There are hands
free magnifiers, magnifiers that can be worn over glasses,
foldable magnifiers, page magnifiers, and many other products.
(click on the image for more information)
For more
examples, here is a link with a wide variety of magnifiers:
http://www.sammonspreston.com/Supply/Product-List.asp?subsection=1680
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7. Internet Resources
The National Institutes of Health, Dietary Supplements
provides an excellent site to learn about dietary supplements.
For a
terrific Internet resource containing a review of dietary
supplements including their appropriate use, regulation, level
of research behind certain claims, and cautionary information,
read here.
To see one
example of the comprehensive description of a supplement, take a
look at Med Line's description of
Gingko Biloba.
Tips For
The Savvy Supplement User: Making Informed Decisions And
Evaluating Information -- includes information on how to
evaluate research findings and health information on-line and
Claims That
Can Be Made for Conventional Foods and Dietary Supplements
-- provides information on what types of claims can be made for
dietary supplements.
High Health Risk Factors
Other resources used for this
newsletter:
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